Saliva ejector



Dec. 14, 1937. H. GRUNEWALD 2,102,263

SALIVA EJECTOR Filed May 6, 1955 4 SheeS-Sheeil l H. GRUNEWALD SALIVA EJECTOR Dec. 14, 1937.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6, 1935 Dec. 14, 1937. H. GRUNEWALD .SALIVA EJECTOR Filed May 6, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J/faefzv ra/76,01%@

Dec. 14, 193 7..

H. GRUNEWALD SALIVA EJECTOR Filed May e, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application' May 6, 1935, Serial No. 20,038 In Germany July 26, 1934 8 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for use in dental surgery operations and its object is to provide an apparatus intended to protect the portion of the mouth in which the operation is to be performed against the inflow of saliva, by collecting saliva as it owsl out from the secretory ducts.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind in which the members through which saliva is collected serve to clear the space in which the operationis to be performed, and which can be adapted to any shape of mouth.

There are three groups of salivary glands, to Wit, the sublingual gland, the submaxillary glands and the parotid glands. 1

'Ihe 4sublingual gland opens into the mouth through the Rivinian duct. Close to this duct and on either side thereof open the Wharton ducts through which saliva is fed from the submaxillary glands. Saliva from the parotid glands is fed to the inside of the mouth through the Stenon ducts opening approximately at the level of the upper molars, on either side of the Jaw.

The apparatus according to my invention for collecting saliva as it is just flowing out from these ducts essentially comprises:

(a) A sutblingual saliva collecting device covering the outlets of the Rivinian and Wharton ducts and a fairly wide area of the region surrounding these outlets;

(b) Two devices for collecting saliva flowing out from the parotid glands, these devices being fitted at the respective ends of two bent, and preferably movable, tubes.

These saliva collecting devices are connected with a tube in which a vacuum is produced, so as to draw in saliva.

Other features of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of some specific embodiments thereof.

Preferred embodiments of my invention will be hereinafter described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example, and in which:

Fig. l is an elevational side view of the apparatus according to the present invention in l position in the mouth;

view, and a sectional view on the line I-I `of Fig. 5, of the device for collecting saliva flowing out from one of the parotid glands;

Figs. 8 and 9 are a plan View and an elevational View, respectively, of the device through which saliva flowing out from the sublingual and submaxillary glands is collected;

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of the pad of this last mentioned device;

Fig. 1l is a vertical sectional View of the common tube through which saliva is evacuated;

Fig. 12 is a front elevational View of this tube;

Figs. 13 and 14 show, on an enlarged scale, a detail of the apparatus;

Figs. V15 and 16 are a plan view and a sectional view, respectively, of the part of the apparatus to be applied against the patients chin;

Figs. 17 and 18 are a. sectional view and a plan view, respectively, of the part of the apparatus against which bear. the springs for applying the above mentioned part against the patients chin.

Fig. 19 is a plan view of a modification of the device shown in Fig. 8.

The curved upper portion of the common outflow tube a communicates with the inside of the sublingual saliva collecting device b, which Vis fitted thereon in any suitable manner, but preferably in a removable manner. This device b includes a crescent shaped hollow metallic member (Figs. 3, 8 and 9), opened at the bottom and the closed upper part of which is of bulging shape. The inner surface of this metallic member is lined with a pad of flexible rubber, suitably vulcanized, as shown in Fig. 10. This pad, which ts exactly in said metallic member, projects slightly along the edge thereof, so as to ensure perfect fluid-tightness and also to avoid any direct contact of the metal with the sublingual mucous membrane, which might injure said membrane.

Two holes b' and b are provided in each branch of the metallicv member so as to form housings for projections of the rubber pad, whereby said rubber pad is kept in position in said metallic member.

'I'he collecting device including said metallic member and said rubber pad is placed, behind the lower jaw, under the tongue, which it lifts slightly, owing to its convex shape. This device covers the outlets of the Rivinian and Wharton ducts and the surrounding parts of the mouth, and therefore collects the whole of the saliva fed through these ducts, which saliva is drawn in through tube a.

In the modification shown by Fig. 19, each end of metallic member b, carries, fixed thereon (for instance by soldering or brazing) a small rib q extending upwardly to a sufficient distance for holding the tongue of the patient in the direction of the axis of his mouth.

The saliva collecting devices adapted to cooperate with the parotid glands consist of two Vtubular arms d, d', curved both in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction (as shown by Figs. 1 and 3), and jointed, for instance through a ball and socket joint, with a hollow main c, with which they communicate and which itself communicates, at its central part, with the outflow tube a (Fig. 11).

Each of these arms d, d is provided,` at its end, with a rounded nozzle, upon which may be tted a rubber pad f, intended to collect saliva.

The main c may for instance consist of a horizontal cylindrical tube, the central portion of which communicates with tube a. This tubular element c is open at both ends and on said ends can be screwed caps c', c" (Figs. 13 and 14) which form the sockets for ball-shapedY elements m, m' provided at. the ends of arms d, d',

' respectively. VA spring k applies these ball shaped elements against their respective sockets so as to Aensure fluid-tightness of the ball and socket joints. This arrangement makes it possible to turn tubular arms d, d in any'desired direction.

Pads f are made of relatively large area and they are slightly convex. Furthermore, they are provided, on their outer sides, with projections f' intended to maintain the patients cheek at a certain distance from the teeth, so as to better hold apart the mucous membrane which is necessarily impregnated with saliva.

Furthermore, each of these arms d, d is provided with a pivoted stopper e which permits of closing at will the corresponding conduit, when the operation to be performed requires only one side of the apparatus being employed. When bioth branches of the apparatus are to be employed, a pad f is mounted at the end of each of the arms d, d'. When only one branch of the apparatus is to be employed, this arm is fitted with a pad f and the conduit of the other arm is stopped by means of the corresponding stopper e.

These arms d and d are introduced into the patients mouth, bearing against the lower lip and the jaw, and owing to their curved shape and to the fact that they can be pivoted in any direction whatever,r they can be adapted to any shape of mouth. Each of the pads covers the outlet of the `corresponding Stenon duct and collects saliva flowing from said duct, said saliva iiowing through the corresponding arm, through tubular chamber c and into'the exhaust tube a, under the effect of the suction exerted through tube a.

This suction may be obtained through any suitable means. For instance the lower end of tube a may be connected through a flexible pipe tted on the end i of said tube with the water circulation system of a spittoon provided with a continuous stream of water such as used by dentists. This stream of water serves to produce the suction necessary for drawing in saliva.

I may also make use of a hand pump or any other equivalent means.

In order to maintain the apparatus in position in the patients mouth, said apparatus may be provided withy a member g (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 15) elastically applied against the patients chin,

preferably immediately below the sublingual saliva collecting device b.

This metallic member y, of suitable shape, carrying two guides y', y", is provided with an orifice p so that it may slide along tube a. It is subj ected to the action of springs wound around said guides and bearing against a stationary part h. Said part h is tted at the lower end of tube a and it is provided with two orifices Z, l' in which said guides can slide (Figs. 1'?, 18). A stop a', provided on tube a, limits the upward displacement of member g.

Said member g and the corresponding member h Vare prefe rably provided with respective parts g and h for the thumb and the forenger of the operator. They permit of operating this xation member g with a single hand when introducing the apparatus into the patients mouth.

While I have, in the preceding description, disclosed what I deem to be a practical and efcient embodiment of the present invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. An apparatus for collecting saliva from the inside of the mouth which comprises, in combination, a crescent-shaped cup adapted to be applied upon the inner surface of the mouth under the tongue, so as to cover both the sub-V lingual and submaxillary saliva outlets, a suction tube rigidly connected with said cup, so as v to communicate with the inside thereof, two tubes of curved shape pivotally connected with said ltube so as to permanently communicate with the inside thereof, and shallow cup-shaped pads tted on the ends of said two last mentioned tubes adapted to be applied against the `i inner surface of the mouth'so as to cover the outlets of the parotid ducts.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said cup includes a metal member of convex shape and a rubber pad adapted to iit` in said 4. An apparatus according to claim 1 further including projections carried by the convex sides of said cup-shaped pads for keeping the cheeks of the patient apart from the teeth.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 including universal joints for connecting the two second mentioned tubes with the rst mentioned tube.

6. An apparatus according tol claim 1 in which said cup is iixed,'in a removable manner, directly on said suction tube, including a chamber permanently connected withsaid tube, and ball and socket joints for connecting said two second mentioned tubes with the respective ends of said chamber.

7. An apparatus for collecting saliva from the inside of the mouth, which comprises, in combination, at least one hollow element provided with an inlet opening adapted completely to cover the outlet of at least one salivary duct whereby said duct then opens into a closed chamber formed by said element, said element being of centrally bifurcated arcuate shape, and a suctions means connected With said element.

8. An apparatus for collecting saliva from the insid of the mouth which comprises, in combination, a plurality of cup-shaped elements, said elements being arcuate, hollow cups, adapted completetly to cover at least one salivary duct from which saliva is discharged directly into said elements, and a common suction tube in shaped elements.

HUBERT GRUNEWALD. 

